1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a roasting apparatus for roasting meat in an oven. More particularly, the invention relates to a roasting apparatus that is collapsible to facilitate storage when not in use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, whole turkeys are cooked in ovens with the breast side facing upwardly in a cooking pan, which provides a stable position for the turkey while cooking and maintains the proper carving position. This, however, results in dry or otherwise overcooked breast meat. From time to time people attempt to roast the turkey so that the breast side faces downwardly during the cooking cycle. This allows juices from the darker thigh meat to trickle to the breast area during cooking, resulting in moist breast meat. Cooking a turkey breast side down also allows for it to be cooked to the right temperature. The proper cooked temperature for the breast meat is 10 degrees less that that of the legs and thighs. Considering that a normal roasting oven is 10 degrees hotter near the top of the oven, a turkey cooked with the breast near the top of the oven will be 20 degrees over cooked. A turkey cooked with the breast positioned in the lower part of the oven will be cooked to a proper degree of doneness.
Cooking the turkey with the breast side down can, however, create problems. In order to carve the turkey, it must be flipped back to breast side up. This is very difficult to do and poses dangers from being burned in the process. Thus, it remains desirable to provide a roasting apparatus that supports the turkey while roasting with the breast side down and that facilitates rotation of the turkey during the cooking cycle, while minimizing the risk of burning oneself.